Jealousy and Envy

There is a distinction between jealousy and envy. To envy is to want something which belongs to another person. “You shall not covet your neighbors house, his wife or his servant, his ox or donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

In contrast, jealousy is the fear that something which we possess will be taken away by another person. Although jealousy can apply to our jobs, our possessions, or our reputations, the word more often refers to anxiety which comes when we are afraid that the affections of a loved one might be lost to a rival. We fear that our mates, or perhaps our children, will be lured away by some other person who, when compared to us, seems to be more attractive, capable and successful.